I will explore how erotic films can misrepresent sexual pleasure and reinforce unrealistic benchmarks for women's behavior.
Let's consider the difference between pornography and erotica. Pornography is generally considered to be more graphic and explicit than erotica. It typically focuses on explicit acts such as oral sex, vaginal intercourse, anal sex, and masturbation. Erotica, on the other hand, usually presents these acts but also includes more subtle elements like romance, foreplay, and emotional connection between characters. This means that while both forms of media may contain sexualized content, they differ in their portrayals of sex and pleasure.
Erotic films often depict idealized versions of women and men who engage in extreme sexual activities without realistically conveying the messy, sometimes awkward nature of actual intimate encounters. Women are shown to be highly desirable objects, with perfect bodies, flawless skin, and exaggerated facial features. They appear to be completely open to any kind of sexual activity, enjoying it all without hesitation or discomfort. Men are also often presented as powerful, dominant partners capable of pleasuring women effortlessly.
These fantasy representations of sex can lead viewers to believe that all women should behave similarly during sex, creating a harmful standard that is difficult to meet. As a result, many women feel pressure to perform certain actions or have specific reactions in order to satisfy their partner's expectations. This can create anxiety, self-doubt, and even shame if those expectations go unmet.
Erotic films tend to reinforce unrealistic standards for female behavior in bed by presenting an unattainable image of what "ideal" sexual experiences look like. By contrast, real-life interactions typically involve communication, negotiation, and compromise, which are rarely seen onscreen. These films also do not showcase the diversity of human experience when it comes to sexual pleasure, leading to more confusion and frustration.
These misrepresentations can damage individual relationships and perpetuate harmful gender stereotypes.
How do erotic films misrepresent sexual pleasure, reinforcing unrealistic benchmarks that women internalize in harmful ways?
Many researchers believe that erotic films have been increasingly criticized for promoting unrealistic standards of female sexuality. These films often feature women who are young, thin, white, and able-bodied engaging in highly stylized sex acts with little to no regard for consent, communication, or mutual pleasure. This can create an image of what "good" sex should look like that is both physically and emotionally impossible for many people to achieve in real life.